Research Article

Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Remains High in Patients with HBV-Related Decompensated Cirrhosis and Long-Term Antiviral Therapy

Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.

Patients with HCC (n = 41)Patients without HCC (n = 88) value

Age, years61 (53.5–66)51 (44.25–58.75)≤0.001
Age <50/age ≥507/3442/46≤0.001
Male/female30/1148/400.04
Complications, n (%)
 Encephalopathy6 (14.6)8 (9.1)0.35
 GI bleeding1 (2.4)8 (9.1)0.27
 Ascites21 (51.2)45 (51.1)0.94
Splenectomy (n = 17)5 (12.2)12 (13.6)0.82
Family history of CHB (Y/N)15/2645/430.40
Previous antiviral therapy
Nucleosides, n (%)25 (61.0)47 (53.4)0.29
Nucleotides, n (%)8 (19.5)13 (14.8)
Combination therapy, n (%)5 (12.2)10 (11.3)
Sequential therapy, n (%)3 (7.3)18 (20.5)
Laboratory findings
HBeAg positive, n (%)13 (31.7)19 (21.6)0.22
HBV DNA (log IU/mL)4.17 ± 1.404.01 ± 1.640.59
HBV DNA positive at 6th month, n (%)7 (17.0)12 (13.6)0.60
ALT (U/L)57.29 ± 55.8952.97 ± 47.140.68
Total bilirubin (μmol/L)35.21 ± 18.4335.53 ± 28.950.95
Cholinesterase (U/L)4245.95 ± 1946.293653.83 ± 1655.460.12
Platelet counts (E + 09/L)71.96 ± 49.0181.97 ± 67.060.40
INR1.30 ± 0.211.31 ± 0.330.82
Sodium (mmol/L)140.83 ± 3.20140.45 ± 2.50.49
Creatinine (μmol/L)76.50 ± 17.0075.77 ± 19.360.84
AFP (ng/ml)3.28 (1.71–4.21)4.85 (2.36–19.70)0.14
MELD11.63 ± 3.5411.25 ± 4.560.64

Data are shown as means ± standard deviation or median (IQR). Abbreviations: HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; GI, gastrointestinal; CHB, chronic hepatitis B; HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen; HBV, hepatitis B virus; DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; INR, prothrombin time/international normalized ratio; AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; MELD, model for end-stage liver disease.